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When the Board of Regents received a status report in March regarding on-going efforts in the University System of Georgia to maximize cooperation with other state agencies, boards, the Governor's office and the General Assembly, Governor Roy E. Barnes made a rare personal appearance to offer his praise and lend support to the regents' strategic-planning process.
Thanking the regents for being "a great partner in improving education in our state," the Governor told them that they represent a strong commitment to creating the type of university system that "will be at the forefront of education well into the future."
Barnes used his appearance at the System Office on March 12 - his first visit since November 1999 - to emphasize the "endless possibilities for our state as we move to further integrate our universities with the workings of state government."
Barnes cited the Board for its support of his education reform efforts. "Many people from this board stepped forward and served on our education-reform commissions and gave important insight into what it will take to mold Georgia into a state that offers all of its students, from pre-K to college graduation, a great education," the Governor stated. "And this Board continues to provide strong leadership in education reform with its work on the Education Coordinating Council."
Barnes also said he has tapped the University System for key talent to head administrative units in state government several times. Among those he cited were Georgia Tech's Catherine Ross, who heads the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority; the Regents' Office's Mike Vollmer, who launched the Office of Education Accountability; and Valdosta State University's F.D. Toth, who now heads the Professional Standards Commission.
Noting the Board of Regents' strong commitment to ensuring accountability at every level of education and state government, Barnes said, "I am proud that the board has so completely taken the concept of accountability to heart. Not only have you enthusiastically supported efforts to conduct a management review of state agencies, but you were the first to volunteer to make yourselves more efficient and thus even more indispensable."
The Governor's visit coincided with the board's review of several of its 11 long-term Strategic Goal statements. The regents heard a report from Senior Vice Chancel-lor for External Activities and Facilities Thomas E. Daniel on Goal #11, which focuses on how the University System maximizes collaboration with other government entities.
The Governor used his appearance at the System Office to emphasize the "endless possibilities for our state as we move to further integrate our universities with the workings of state government."
A survey of the 34 University System institutions and other state agencies found that, over an 18-month period, there were 314 partnerships with state agencies, 50 with state boards, 25 with the Governor's office and 26 with the General Assembly, Daniel told the board.
Partnerships included programs such as the Georgia elections Electronic Voting-Machine Project linking Kennesaw State University with the Secretary of State; bio-terrorism consulting by the State University of West Georgia for the Georgia Emer-gency Management Authority; Georgia State University Professor of English David Bottoms serving by gubernatorial appointment as the state's Poet Laureate; and the planning and hosting of the "Biennial Institute for Newly Elected Georgia Legislators" by Georgia College and State University and the University of Georgia.
"We learned that for our employees, service and collaboration are core values," Daniel said. "They happen without mandate, fostered by innovation, entrepreneurship and volunteerism."
The regents will explore a number of options designed to both communicate the level of these partnerships to a wider audience and to encourage new areas of collaboration between the System and state and local governments.
The regents also reviewed three other goals during the board's March meeting. Goals #1, #3 and #9 were covered in a presentation to the Board that included Dr. Daniel Papp, senior vice chancellor for Academics and Fiscal Affairs; Dr. Frank Butler, vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty & Student Affairs; Dr. Becky Rutherfoord, professor of computer science at Southern Polytechnic State University; and Dr. Mark Smith, professor of electrical engineering at Georgia Tech.
Goal #1 deals with the skills and knowledge expected of University System graduates. Closely related to this, Goal #3 focuses on improvements to the System's curriculum, research and international programs. Goal #9 addresses the issue of cooperation between the state's educational agencies, with the objective being the removal of unnecessary barriers that impede a student's ability to move from K-12 through either Georgia's technical colleges and/or the public colleges and universities.
The regents will explore a number of options related to Goals #1 and #3, including expanding opportunities for internships and co-op programs; increasing the number of students who participate in service learning; implementing best practices to strengthen all aspects of instruction, research and service; limiting the percentage of courses taught by part-time faculty; and expanding mentoring programs for faculty and staff.
For Goal #9, the regents will explore options that will expand current programs aimed at moving students seamlessly through the educational system, structuring and maintaining policies to ensure that curriculum between K-12 and higher education is aligned, and defining areas of responsibility among the University System, DTAE and K-12.
Over the next few months, the regents will hear presentations on the remaining plan goals. They are scheduled to adopt a series of final recommendations on all 11 goals by June. These recommendations then will be incorporated into a final action plan for the University System to implement over the five-year life of the Strategic Plan. ¶
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Elridge W. McMillan
Elridge W. McMillan, retiring president of the South-ern Education Founda-tion and the longest-serving member of the Board of Regents, has been named the first-ever Scholar-in-Residence at Atlanta Metropolitan College.
McMillan has served on the Board of Regents continuously since his initial appointment in 1975, including as chairman of the board from 1986-87 - the first of only three African-Americans ever to serve in that role in the Board's 70-year history.
McMillan is a highly recognized and award-winning leader in the fields of education, civil rights and philanthropy. Under his leadership, the Southern Edu-cation Foundation (SEF) made the transition from a private foundation to a public charity, enabling it to play a more active role in addressing equity issues. McMillan also has been an active and vocal leader on the Board of Regents, particularly addressing issues of concern to under-represented student populations.
"It is Regent McMillan's storehouse of knowledge and wisdom - which is arguably unparalleled in terms of its richness, breadth, historical importance and contemporary relevance - which led us to appoint him in this unique capacity," explained AMC President Harold E. Wade.
The college intends to tap the long-time educator's expertise in a number of areas. He will be expected to contribute positively to the education and development of students, faculty and staff, as well as engage in writing and lecturing. Wade said that McMillan also is uniquely qualified to participate in various seminars and campus forums, and to assist the institution in attracting scholarly groups, organizations and individuals to the campus for speaking engagements and other events. In addition, he will be available to conduct consulting for educational, philanthropic and business organizations.
Before joining SEF, McMillan served as chief of the Education Branch of the Office for Civil Rights for Region IV of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Previously, he was operations supervisor for the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity, Southeastern Region, and also has held various positions with the Atlanta Public Schools.
In addition to serving as a regent, McMillan currently is a Clark Atlanta University trustee and a member of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.
He is a former director of the Atlanta Committee for Public Education and a former member of the Board of Trustees of the Advanced Academy of Georgia, the Council on Foundations, the Association of Black Foundation Executives, the Consortium for the Advancement of Private Higher Education, the Atlanta Urban League, and the Commission on the Future of the North Carolina Community College System.
McMillan received his undergraduate degree in English from Clark College (now Clark-Atlanta University), and his master's degree in guidance and student personnel administration from Columbia University, New York. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Clark College in 1980 and from Claflin College in 1992. In 1994, Tuskegee University recognized him with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Xavier University bestowed the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 1998.
The recipient of numerous awards over the past 25 years, most recently McMillan was honored for his leadership by the Georgia Council on Economic Education, which presented him with the 2001 William J. Van Landingham Commitment to Education Award. In May, the Association of Governing Boards will present him with its 2002 Distinguished Service Award in Trusteeship. ¶
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Former Chancellor Stephen R. Portch received the title of "Chancellor Emeritus" from the Board of Regents during the March board meeting. This is believed to be only the second time the title has been bestowed on a former chancellor of the University System - Harmon W. Caldwell received it on his retirement in 1964. "During his tenure as chancellor, Stephen Portch worked tirelessly and with great vision on behalf of the University System and the state of Georgia,"
Board Chair Hilton H. Howell Jr. commented after making a case to the board for bestowing the honor. "He helped raise the System to a new level of national preeminence and academic excellence. The designation - 'Chancellor Emeritus' - is a fitting manner in which to recognize Stephen Portch's unique contributions and to demonstrate the high esteem in which he is held by this board and the System."
When asked to comment on the recognition, Portch said, in his characteristically humorous style, "I'm honored and delighted - and I know no one will believe it - but I'm also humbled by this action."
Dr. Cameron Fincher, Regents Professor of Higher Education and Psychology at the University of Georgia and author of "The Historical Development of the University System of Georgia," said that Portch was "a genuine catalyst for change at the right time. The quickness with which Stephen Portch learned the System's history and organization and took charge was a testament to his leadership. He accomplished a great deal with rapid speed in a short time and is unusually deserving of this honor." ¶
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New University System Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith will begin traveling throughout the state in mid-April, meeting campus officials and business leaders as part of the planned "Knowledge is Power Tour." Meredith - accompanied by a number of regents and senior System Office staff - will visit each of the state's 12 economic regions.
The tour is an initiative of the regents' Office of Economic Development. Assistant Vice Chancellor for Economic Development Annie Hunt Burriss said its three-pronged mission is:
At each stop, the chancellor will tour the campus, visit with campus constituencies and attend a working luncheon with a number of area business, community and government leaders. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and members of the state House and Senate have been invited to attend the luncheons or send representatives.
The KIP Tour schedule is as follows:
| DATE | HOST INSTITUTION | CITY |
|---|---|---|
| April 17 | Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw |
| April 23 | Augusta State University | Augusta |
| May 1 | Gainesville College | Gainesville |
| June 4 | University of Georgia | Athens |
| Aug. 28 | Macon State College | Macon |
| Aug. 29 | Albany State University | Albany |
| Sept. 25 | Coastal Resource Center | Savannah |
| Oct. 1 | Columbus State University | Columbus |
| Oct. 3 | Dalton State College | Dalton |
| Oct. 9 | Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | Tifton |
| Oct. 29 | Clayton College and State University | Morrow |
| Oct. 30 | East Georgia College | Swainsboro |
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One current and two retired University System faculty members were among 12 people and institutions recently applauded by Gov. Roy E. Barnes and the Georgia Humanities Council for their outstanding support of the humanities.
Georgia State University Associate Professor of History Jacqueline Rouse, retired Columbus State University Professor of English Thornton Jordan and State Rep. Louise McBee (D-Athens), a retired University of Georgia administrator, received 2002 Governor's Awards in the Humanities at a luncheon near the state Capitol on March 6.
Rouse, who joined GSU's history faculty in 1991, has focused on creating a greater awareness of African-American history and culture throughout her 20-year academic career.
Jordan, who retired in 1996 after teaching at Columbus State for 25 years, has supported cultural events such as Westville Historic Handicrafts and the Columbus Museum.
McBee is the first elected state official to be honored in this fashion. She retired as UGA's acting vice president for academic affairs in 1988, after 25 years at the institution, and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1992. McBee is credited with having developed the Women's Studies program and having taken the lead in creating and finding funding for UGA's Center for the Humanities and Arts.
The award winners "are humanities heroes for our state," said Jamil S. Zainaldin, president of the Georgia Humanities Council. "Our 2002 recipients all have shown a devotion to preserving and highlighting humanities disciplines crucial to the future of Georgia." ¶
Chancellor Thomas C. Meredith (far right) and his wife, Susan (second from right), were among hundreds of dignitaries and friends in attendance at a recent black-tie gala in honor of Kennesaw State University President Betty L. Siegel (second from left with husband, Joel), who celebrated 20 years as president of the metro Atlanta institution. Siegel brought with her seedlings of several giant sequoia trees, which she said represent the constituencies that have "enabled Kennesaw State to stand tall" by collaborating with each other: students, faculty and staff, trustees, the community, and the state legislature. The benefit, which featured a silent auction, raised more than $100,000 to support the KSU School of the Arts and to endow the new Betty and Joel Siegel Theater Scholarship. ¶
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The Board of Regents in March approved requests from five University System institutions to award honorary degrees this spring. The approved recipients include:
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Seven University System of Georgia campuses plus the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography recently were commended for their generous participation in the 2001 State Charitable Contributions Program. The winners were as follows: Governor's Cup (presented to the institution with the highest contributions per employee): Georgia College and State University (501-1,000 employees), Georgia Institute of Technology (1,001-9,000 employees) and the University of Georgia (9,001 and up employees).
Governor's Awards (presented to the top-producing institutions in three categories): Highest Increase in Percent of Participation Over Last Year's Campaign � Atlanta Metropolitan College; Highest Overall Participation Rate � Atlanta Metropolitan College; Largest Increase in Total Dollars Contributed � the University of Georgia.
Commissioner's Awards (presented to the runners up for the Governor's Cup): Skidaway Institute (1-100 employees), Armstrong Atlantic State University and Macon State College (101-500 employees), and Georgia State University (1,001-9,000 employees). ¶
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The HOPE Scholarship Program is steering Georgia's best students into the state's four-year colleges and universities rather than two-year or out-of-state institutions, according to a new study by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government a the University of Georgia. But the study concluded that HOPE has influenced students' choice of where to enroll far more than whether to enroll at all.
By comparing the enrollment rate in Georgia to that of the other 14 member states in the Southern Reg-ional Educational Board (SREB) in the years before and after the scholarship program was launched in 1993, researchers Chris Cornwell and David B. Mustard determined that HOPE increased the first-time freshman enrollment rate in Georgia by 8 percent. Virtually all of that increase has been realized at four-year public and private institutions, the study authors said. Enrollment rates at the state's two-year institutions showed no net change, as individuals who would otherwise have entered the job market filled the seats vacated by students who elected to pursue four-year degrees, they said.
Approximately 3,800 additional freshmen enrolled in Georgia colleges between 1993 and 1997 because of the HOPE program account, the study said, yet they account for only 4 percent of all freshman awards during that period. This would indicate that 96 percent of the HOPE expenditures during that time were given to students who would have attended college anyway. ¶
BOARD OF REGENTS OFFICERSHilton H. Howell, Jr.
Atlanta
CHAIR
Joe Frank Harris
Cartersville
VICE-CHAIR
Hugh C. Carter, Jr.
Atlanta
Connie Cater
Macon
William H. Cleveland, M.D.
Atlanta
Michael J. Coles
Kennesaw
John Hunt
Tifton
Donald M. Leebern, Jr.
Columbus
Allene H. Magill
Dalton
Elridge W. McMillan
Atlanta
Martin W. NeSmith
Claxton
J. Timothy Shelnut
Augusta
Glenn S. White
Lawrenceville
Joel O. Wooten, Jr.
Columbus
James D. Yancey
Columbus
Thomas C. Meredith
CHANCELLOR
Gail S. Weber
SECRETARY TO THE BOARD
William R. Bowes
TREASURER
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